New orders for manufactured durable goods in May increased $1.9 billion, or 0.7%, to $267.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, the seventh in the last eight months, followed a 0.4% April increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.7%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.6%. Transportation equipment, up two consecutive months, led the increase, rising $700 million, or 0.8%, to a total of $87.6 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in May, up twelve of the last thirteen months, increased $3.6 billion or 1.3% to a total of $268.4 billion. This followed a 0.3% April increase.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in May, up sixteen consecutive months, increased $2.7 billion or 0.6% to $482.7 billion.
Read the Census release.